Here's why the Broncos worked out a left-footed punter

The Broncos are perfectly happy with right-footed starting punter Riley Dixon, but they worked out left-footed punter Jeff Locke Thursday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold.

Assuming Locke punted well, Denver will probably keep Locke in mind in case anything happens to Dixon later this season. But Thursday’s workout was more about receiver Jordan Taylor than Locke.

Punt returners often have a hard time catching left-footed punts when they’re used to fielding right-footed punts every day in practice. That may be part of the reason why Isaiah McKenzie muffed a left-footed punt from Patriots specialist Ryan Allen last week.

That muff marked McKenzie’s fifth punt of the season and it ultimately cost him the starting punt returner job. The Broncos will have Taylor return punts this week and they likely wanted to give him practice catching left-footed punts. Denver will host the Bengals and left-footed punter Kevin Huber on Sunday.

It’s a smart move, probably one that McKenzie wishes the team did when he still had a starting job.